Ticking Time Bomb
by crystalshake
Summary: *Set 16 years after the Avengers* The Avengers have gone their seperate ways and now are living in peace with their familes. But when Loki escapes from Asgard, will they come together once again to avenge the world? Or will Loki finally get his "drink"? Also could be called Avengers 2...but that's just way to simple


**PLEASE READ!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Iron Man or any part of the Avengers franchise. If I did...oh boy.**

**The only characters I own are the ones that you have never heard of before. This plot line is mine also. I am not writing this for profit, this is purely entertainment. **

**Now that that's out of the way...on to the story. I know it starts weird but...I couldn't bring myself to change it. I just wrote and wrote and when I re read it...I couldn't change it. Sorry! Think of it as a prologue. Also...I brought a lot of characters back. Also, Agent Coulson (obviously) Betty, and Jane will be there. We can't leave our boys without some love can we? Also, Black Widow and Hawkeye are together...just because I thought they were freaking adorable. Also, Captain America and Maria are together. And they all have children? Why? Because that's maybe the biggest thing driving this plot. And kids are cute. Who doesn't love superhero's kids? But don't worry, this isn't going to be an easy ride. There will be bumps on the way. If there wasn't, this wouldn't be half of the good story I want it to be.**

**Now, before you say anything..I know some of the characters are OFC. (Out of character) It's mostly going to be Captain America and Hulk...because I don't know their stories as well as Iron Man's or Thor's. Hawkeye and Black Widow probably with be OFC as well. But..I don't care. My story, my words. All reviews saying the characters are out of character will be removed. Thank you.**

**So, grab your hammer, shield, arc reactor, bow, knives, and an extra set of clothes because here we go!**

****** I am debating whether or not I should write a story about how all of these characters got together. If you read this and were very confused, please review and I will write the story about how they got to together before I do anymore on this one. Thank you. I just don't want to confuse anyone.**

**Asgard (This takes place about 16 years after the Avengers)**

Fires raged, buildings fell, people screamed. Aliens flooded the streets and overpowered the defense. Mothers held their children close and fathers did whatever they could to keep the aliens from making it to their homes. But there was no hope. Those that raised their voice were silenced, and nothing seemed to be able to defeat the onslaught.

Loki stood at the entrance of the place he once knew as home. His gaze wandered around, taking in the sights, the sounds. He watched everything. He saw everything.

Which means he saw his own brother...fake brother...make his way to the passageway that would bring him to Earth. Loki smirked and shook his head. Thor must have sensed something, because he turned around and looked Loki straight in the eye.

"You always did run away!" Loki yelled over the noise. Thor didn't respond. His eyes were wide as he stared at his long lost brother. "You thought you could keep me in that cell forever? You think you could defeat me! Think again! Go! Go to Earth! Get all your little friends. Just know that you won't be able to beat me this time. Not this time..."

For a moment, Loki thought Thor was going to charge him, make him fight. But he didn't. He just swallowed hard and jumped through the wormhole to Earth.

Loki turned back to the falling city of Asgard. He had finally taken over and the people of Asgard knew it. They put down their weapons and dropped to their knees. Those brave enough kept fighting, but to no avail.

"You have done it. You have taken over Asgard. What is it you wish to do next?" The voice of the aliens' leader reached his ears but he didn't respond immediately. Even though he had lost the first time around with the Avengers, the aliens stayed on his side, wanting revenge for what Stark did to their ship. When he finally responded, he turned and looked the alien leader straight in the eye.

"We have Asgard. Now...the universe."

**AVENGERS**

**Captain America's POV**

Punch. Kick. Punch. Kick. Punch, kick, roundhouse, fling punching bag across the room. Yeah, that sounds about right. I stared at the now dislodged punching bag and sighed. It would never just stay up there would it? I stretched and groaned as I felt and heard the pops in my back. I shook my shoulders a little and started to unwrap the medical wrap from my hands.

"You're not packing up already are you?"

I glanced up to see my fifteen year old daughter standing in front of me, her arms crossed, with a smirk on her face. She had my sandy blonde hair, but her mother's dark brown eyes. She wore her work out clothes and her hair was tied up in a ponytail.

"What, you wanted to go a round?" I chuckled.

"Of course. If I'm going to help you in your duties one day, I have to train, too." I smiled sadly at her. She was brilliant, of course. Between her mother and I, we had taught her almost every move in the book, but that was only so she'd have some form of protection. We never realized she'd want to use her abilities to help me. I remember when she was born, and we had no clue what to name her. Names filled all our heads, but nothing worked. Finally, Hawkeye came up with Lucy. It had been perfect, and fit her so well. Short, but sweet.

" Lucy, you know how I feel about you out there fighting bad guys – "

"I know, I know. I'm too young and you don't want me getting hurt. I know. But I don't care. I want to make a difference, like you. Like mom. Like the Avengers." I sighed. There was no fighting with her when she got like this. So I just stood up and rewound the tape that I had already peeled off.

"Alright, you ready?" She took a stance and smirked.

"Always, dad."

We danced around a bit, and I'm embarrassed to say she actually got me on my back a couple of times. But, as always, I ended up on top.

"Can't you ever just let me win?" She gasped.

"The enemy isn't going to just let you win." I said. She looked me in the eye and I saw a bit of myself staring back.

"Yeah, okay." I got off and helped her up.

"You're getting better." I praised while brushing some dust off her shoulders.

"Thanks, but I need to practice more. You shouldn't be able to beat me that many times."

"Honey, I'm Captain America. I'm obviously going to beat you." I laughed as she hit me playfully in the stomach.

"Not funny, dad!" But she was laughing, too. It was moments like these that I cherished. The moments when we didn't have to worry about the next bad guy that was coming around the corner. But I should have known it wouldn't last for long.

"Steve!" Maria came running down the stairs, the phone in her hand.

"What?"

"It's Nick Fury. He says it's urgent." Lucy stiffed beside me. She hated it when I got calls from Fury, because it usually meant I was going to be gone for a long period of time. I took the phone from Maria and walked a good distance away from my family.

"Yes?"

"Steve, we need to you to come to headquarters."

"Why?"

"Thor showed up. He said something's happening, and it's big. We need you here."

"Thor? He's here? When?"

"A little while ago. Just get your striped ass over here, now."

"If you only asking me, then it can't be that big of an issue, right?"

"If only I were just asking you. No, the Avengers will meet you there."

"All of us?" I asked. "You need all of us again?"

"I'll explain later. Just come over and we'll set up a safe place for Maria and Lucy."

A safe place. Shouldn't our home be a safe place? My grip tightened around the phone as I spoke.

"A safe place? Why? Fury, what's going on?"

"Just get here. Then we'll talk." He hung up. I turned around to see Maria and Lucy staring intently at me.

"Steve, what did you mean by safe place?" Maria asked, walking up to me.

I didn't look at her for a while. I just stared at the phone. I took a couple deep breaths before I lifted my head to look at her.

"Fury is going to transport you and Lucy to a safe location for the time being. I'm sure it won't be long. We'll probably be back here in three days."

"But why do we have to go? Can't we go with you?" Lucy shrugged past her mom and her gaze held steady with mine.

"No, you can't come with me. Nick knows what he's doing." I turned to Maria and gave her a desperate glance. "Go pack so bags, we'll leave for S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters when you and Lucy are ready."

Maria nodded, knowingly. She dragged Lucy upstairs and I heard the dragging across the floor of suitcases being pulled from closets. I made my way to the far wall and pressed a button. The wall slid apart, revealing my suit and shield. I reached forward and grabbed the shield, weighing it in my hand. Something was up, I knew it. Fury wouldn't gather the Avengers unless it was something important.

I lifted my shield and practiced a few swings with it. It had been a while since I've used it, but it felt right, like it was supposed to be there.

Look out world...Captain America's back.

**AVENGERS**

**Hulk's POV**

I sat in the large chair in our living room, just relishing in the small amount of peace and quiet. Betty was sitting on the floor next to me, reading. I don't know why she preferred to sit on the floor, when the couch was right behind her. I smiled and closed my eyes, listening to the pages of her book turning.

"Dad! Brian took my beaker!"

And...peace and quiet time over.

"He's five, John, give him a break." I yelled, still not opening my eyes.

"I know he's five. But couldn't he be a little less annoying?" John's voice was right next to me now and I opened my eyes to see the silhouette of my eldest son.

"He's five. Everyone's annoying at five."

"I wasn't."

I raised my eyebrow and he looked away, blushing. I pushed myself out of the chair and yelled, "Brian! Where are you!"

Brian's little head peaked around the corner of the hall that led the boy's rooms. "I put it back. I just wanted to have some fun." His face was pouted and his eyes were huge. I ruffled his hair and knelt down to his level.

"I know, bud, but how about you have some fun by coloring or something? It's not nice to take anyone's things, especially your brothers."

"Yeah..." John muttered behind me.

"But I asked John to color with me and he wouldn't! He said he was busy." Brian huffed and crossed his arms.

"Because I was busy! I was working on a very time sensitive project!" John whipped back.

"What time sensitive project?" I inquired, my interest peaked. John had a way of...making explosive projects that usually blew up the entire house.

"Just my science project for school...that's due on Friday."

"John, it's Thursday."

"Exactly."

I pinched the bridge of my nose and shook my head. My boys were just like me sometimes...maybe a little too like me.

"Boys, play nice and leave your father out of it. Brian, say you're sorry for taking John's beaker." Betty's voice reached my ears and I twisted around to see her leaning against the wall.

"I'm sorry..." Brian whispered

"And John, say you're sorry for snapping at your brother."

"What! I didn't – "

"John..."

"I'm sorry..." He muttered. I smiled. Betty knew when she had to defuse the boys...because if she didn't, they might just set me off. They knew what would happen to me if I got to angry, but they had never seen it. I promised myself I would never let them see it.

"It's getting late. You should be in bed, Brian."

"But I –"

"Bed, Brian." Betty said again.

"Fine. Night, dad." He wrapped his arms around me and I hugged him tightly.

"Night, buddy. Get some sleep." He ran to his room with Betty following.

"John, get that science project done. But don't stay up all night."

"I won't."

The two disappeared into Brian's room and I stood from the floor, my bones creaking. I wasn't as young as I used to be. The phone started to ring and I ignored it, seeing as John picked it up.

"Hello?...oh, Director Fury – " My head shot up and I motioned for him to give me the phone. "Yeah, he's right here." He gave me the phone and I jerked my head toward John's room, silently telling him to go work.

"But – "

"Go." I whispered. He stalked off and closed his door behind him.

"Fury?"

"We need you to come to headquarters. We'll find a safe location for your family. We just need you here, stat."

"Why? What's going on?"

"We'll explain later. And also, if you don't show, we know where to find you." Then the line went dead. My mind was spinning with reasons why Fury would call so late and then make such a strange request. But that's not what got me. What got me was that he said he'd find a safe location for my family. If my family needed to be kept somewhere safe, this had to be a delicate procedure. I sighed and put the phone back on the hook. I debated. I really did. It would be so much easier to just stay home and if S.H.I.E.L.D. really needed me they would come and get me. But Fury had been stern and to the point, which practically made my decision for me.

"Betty!"

**AVENGERS**

**Natasha's POV**

I scratched my pencil across the paper, hoping to make some sense of these numbers. But 2i equals 4i x 2? What does this even mean?

I sighed and pushed the paper away from me. Placing the pencil down, I looked into the eyes of my fifteen year old.

"Give up?" He smirked.

"Ok, I'll admit. You guys have some tough work in school."

Jordan laughed and his eyes sparkled like his fathers. "Not as tough as you guys, but yeah, it's hard."

"You try to get that done, but tomorrow be sure to ask your teacher for help." I laughed as I stood from the bar stool.

"My teacher doesn't like to help us. He thinks we can figure it out all by ourselves and if we can't, he finds us incompetent."

"Now, honey, I know that's not true."

"Isn't it? Remember last quarter? I had all A's except for math! And you know I worked just as hard on math as I did all my other subjects." He had a point. He was a bright boy and before this year he had no problem with math. It had crossed my mind that it wasn't his fault at all that he had a low grade...for him at least. He had a B, which should be excellent by any students standards, but not for Jordan. He wanted straight A's, all the time. He was bugged even when one of his grades went down to an A-.

"Maybe, but don't worry about it now. Just do what you know and deal with the rest as it comes."

"Alright..." He sighed, defeated. He grabbed the pencil I dropped and started writing again.

"Math?" A voice came from behind me. I turned to see Clint leaning against the door frame to the kitchen.

"Yeah, it's pretty hard." I replied. I wrapped my arms around his neck as he buried his head in my shoulder.

"You should come to bed." He muttered, his voice muffled.

"We should probably stay awake until Jordan goes to sleep." I grinned, his strong arms pulling me closer.

"You do know that I am still in the room, correct?" Clint lifted his head to playfully glare at Jordan and Jordan glared right back, waving his math homework in the air. "Trying to work here. Could you at least take it into the living room?"

Clint laughed and grabbed the paper.

"This can't be too hard. I was a whiz at math when I was in school." He read the paper over and after about a minute placed it back on the table. "Yeah, I got nothin'."

"Thanks, dad. Real helpful."

"Of course." Jordan wacked him on the head with his pencil as Clint laughed. I smiled at my boys. Jordan was so much like Clint it was almost scary. He could shoot just as well, too. When he was younger he had somehow gotten hold of Clint's bow. He didn't hurt anyone or himself, but he did shoot a nice hole through the TV.

Suddenly, the phone started to ring.

"I got it!" Clint dodged another one of Jordan's hits and grabbed the phone. I ruffled Jordan's hair as Clint talked, at first happy and joyful, but then his tone changed.

"What do you mean we need to come? What's going on?"

I watched as Clint's face went from smiling to worry in a second.

"Alright...yes...okay...we'll be there. Are you sure? Okay. Bye."

"Clint? What was that?" I walked over and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Fury wants us at headquarters. Now."

"What? Why?"

Clint's voice suddenly went to a low whisper. "He wouldn't tell me. All he said was that we needed to get there and that Jordan was to go someplace safe."

"Someplace safe? Where?"

"Like I said, I don't know. But we better get going, he didn't sound too happy."

"Alright." I turned to Jordan who was looking at both of us with a curious expression on his face. "Jordan, go pack a bag for a few nights. We're taking a little trip." Clint walked past us through the door as Jordan hopped off the stool.

"Where to?"

"I don't know, sweetie. I don't know."

**AVENGERS**

**Tony's POV**

Chaos. That's all the tower was now, was chaos. Books were everywhere, ranging from picture books to encyclopedias. CD's, paper, pencils, clothes – I couldn't be surprised anymore about what I found around the house, just thrown somewhere. I pushed a picture book away from the counter space in the kitchen I was using as I finished making my sandwich. I sometimes wondered why I had done all of this to myself.

I followed the line of chaos to the living room...and was suddenly reminded why I had done it all. My daughter Elizabeth was curled up in a small ball on the couch, a large blanket over her. Justin was asleep at the desk, drool marking the blueprint he was working on beforehand. Sarah was lying on the floor, using her arms as pillows as she snored away. Alex was the only one who was awake, sitting on the couch next to Elizabeth, flipping through the muted channels on the TV.

"When did they fall asleep?" I asked softly as I walked toward him. He jumped a little, but relaxed when he saw me.

"A while ago. Elizabeth's been asleep a good couple hours, Justin, too. Sarah just fell asleep about an hour ago."

"And why aren't you asleep?" I sat next to him on the couch, being sure not to wake Elizabeth.

"I can't sleep." He stated plainly.

"You can't sleep? Why not?" I set my sandwich aside for now, focusing on Alex.

"I don't know..." He kept his gaze focused on the TV, but I gently grabbed the remote and turned it off.

"Yes you do. Why can't you sleep?" He glanced at Elizabeth before answering.

"Can we put them to bed first?" I raised my eyebrow at him, but obliged, picking Elizabeth up off the couch. Soon, almost the entire Stark family was in bed. Pepper had gone to bed early after a long day of meetings and paperwork. It was just Alex and I sitting on the couch, eating sandwiches.

"What's wrong, Alex?" I asked again.

"Do you ever get that feeling that something's...wrong?" He asked, looking intently at me.

"Well, yes, right now actually. I have a feeling that something's wrong...with you." I grinned as he glared at me.

"I mean like...something really bad is going to happen? Soon?"

I paused. I had gotten a feeling before, but that was before Gulmira. Before Ivan. Before Loki, sixteen years ago...

No. I refused to think about that time. I had never told any of my children about him and I refused to do it now.

"Yes. Why? Do you feel like that?"

"Yeah...but I don't know why." He sighed and leaned back against the couch. I wrapped an arm around his shoulders and pulled him close.

"It's okay. Nothing's going to happen. You're okay, your siblings are okay, your mom and I are okay...we're all okay."

"For now."

I turned his chin up so that he had to look at me. "For now?"

He groaned and sat up.

"Don't you get it? I...I don't know what's going to happen, that's what's bothering me. I don't know if something is really there when Elizabeth says she heard something go bump in the night. I don't know what's really going on out there...I don't know what's happening in the world that isn't broadcast on the news. I...I don't know...I don't know where _you_ are half the time." His eyes became downcast and I felt tears prickle behind my eyes. I pulled him close and ran my hand through his hair.

"Alex, I promise you, nothing bad is going to happen to any of us. Including me. What got you thinking about this?"

"I...I may have talked to Fury earlier today."

"Fury? Why?"

"He called asking for you, but you were at work so I asked if I could take a message and he said that he'd just catch you later tonight. He still hasn't called back but I could tell that something was wrong. He was really worried and he kept asking if I knew when you were going to be home. I said I didn't know and asked again if there wasn't anything I could just tell you. He said that something big was coming and he needed to talk to you right away. That's what tipped me off. Didn't he try you on your cell?" I pulled it out quickly and noticed the number of missed calls.

"Oops. Guess I filter the calls I don't want." I laughed and tried to lighten the mood a little. He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. I sighed and kissed him on the forehead. "Don't worry about Fury. He's probably worked up over nothing. I'll call him back and see. For now, you go to bed and try to get some sleep."

"Fine, but you'll tell me right? You'll tell me what Fury wanted tomorrow?"

"I will. Now go." I pushed him a little to get him going after he stood from the couch.

"I'm going, I'm going," he chuckled. I watched him meander up the stairs and into his room, then I made the call.

"Hello?"

"What kind of bullshit are you feeding my son, Fury?"

"Stark. Knew it was you."

"You have Alex worried over nothing. What did you say to him?" I was actually angry now, angry that he had worried my son to the point that he couldn't even sleep.

"I didn't say anything to him. I only told him that I needed to talk to you immediately."

"And that something big was coming. It may not have seemed like a big statement to you but it scared the hell out of Alex. What's going on, Fury? What do you want?"

"We need you at headquarters. We'll find a place for your family, but we need you here, now."

"Are you kidding me? My entire family is in bed, sleeping. What makes you think that I'm just going to wake them up and drag them the long distance to headquarters?" I hissed.

"I know where you live Stark. Actually, everybody does. I have no problem in sending a helicopter to come pick you all up."

"Don't you dare - " I warned.

"Then get here. I'll debrief you later. See you soon."

"Fury – " The line went dead. "I hate that man sometimes...I really do." I threw my phone on the couch and buried my face in my hands.

"I was right, wasn't I? Something's happening?" I turned to find Alex standing at the foot of the stairs, not even undressed. His face was stoic and his eyes were wide. I walked over to him and rubbed his shoulders.

"Pack a bag, bud. And get your siblings up while I wake your mother. We're taking a family vacation."

**AVENGERS **

**Thor's POV**

"We have your family in a safe location. Would you like to speak to them?" Fury's voice echoed through my ears and finally reached my mind. I shook my head and nodded. He handed me the phone and I looked at him for an explanation.

"Jane," he mouthed.

"Jane?" I asked, into the mouthpiece.

"Thor! Thank goodness, what's going on? Why did these men come and take us away?"

"Don't worry, they are friends. There's a...situation."

"Situation? What kind of situation? An Avenger's situation?"

"You never cease to amaze me with your detective skills."

"Thor, this is serious! What's going on!" She said, exasperated.

"I'll tell you in a moment, can you put the kids on?" I asked, desperately wanting to hear them as well.

"Alright...Kole! Miya! Here you go," she said.

"Dad?" A young girls voice floated over the line.

"Miya," I breathed. "How are you? Are you okay?"

"I'm okay. We're all okay. Where are you? What's going on?"

"I'll tell you all later, is your brother there?"

"I'm here, dad." Miya and Kole were born as twins, on October 12. Miya was older by a couple of minutes, but at eleven years old, they were both equals. Nothing different. I smiled as I heard both their voices, safe and sound.

"You two be good for your mother, okay? Do what she says and follow her orders. But listen to the men in the suits, too. They're there to help you."

"Are they from S.H.I.E.L.D?" Kole asked.

"Yes, so listen to them, okay? Can I talk to your mom again?"

"Yeah, here she is. Love you, daddy."

"Love you, too, kids." I chuckled.

"Love you dad. Here's mom," Kole finished.

"You two go play or something," I heard her say. Then to me, "What in the world is going on, Thor."

"He's...he's back." I hesitated.

"Who's back?"

"...Loki."

"Loki? As in your brother Loki? I thought the Avengers did away with him? I thought he was in Asgard prison?"

"Not anymore. He escaped and he somehow still has an army behind him."

"Meaning he can strike again? Possibly even harder now that he knows more?" It scared me how much she knew. How much she could figure out just by one conversation.

"Yes. But don't worry, I'm sure the Avengers can beat him again, even quicker. We'll be home by this weekend." And by home, I meant our home on Earth. I didn't live in Asgard anymore, because I wanted to be closer to my family. The people of Asgard understood and let me rule from far away. I, of course, had people there to help run everything when I wasn't there, but I was still in control.

"If you insist...just...be careful."

"I will. Don't worry."

"I love you." She murmured.

"I love you, too. See you soon."

"See you soon." She hung up and I handed the phone back to Fury.

"Are they almost here?"

"I just ended an...interesting conversation with Stark. But yes, they'll all be here soon."

"What if they don't want to help again? They all have families now that they don't want to put in danger."

"You do as well. I think they're going to think that Loki is still a threat and want to eliminate him. Just you wait." His watch started beeping and he stood from his chair.

"Captain America's here," He looked at me with determination in his eyes.

"Let the party begin."

**Chapter one, finally done! Whoo! R&R!**


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